Kage is Kira

NOTE:

"Doryaaaaaaaaaa!": normal talking

"Charge!": special case

'Darn!': thoughts

GWA HA HA HA! : Giant creature speech

DISCLAIMER: I OWN NOTHING!

Please… read and review

00000000000000

Just minutes before the operation began… after Kage's speech…

Everyone in the meeting room was assigning everyone's position. "We have three ships. We need three top fighters aboard it."

"Then, Harlbarton-san takes the Menelaus. Mwu-san, you take the Agamemnon. And for the Nestor…" Kage thought for a moment. His gaze went to Prayer but then suddenly he turned to Harlbarton and announced it out loud before anyone can say anything. "With your permission, I'll take the lead with Nestor."

"I object!" Natarle suddenly burst. "Kage, you are appointed the current leader of our forces in this battle. You are central command of the operation. The operation will be in chaos if you fell!"

"Truth is, it would've been better if I alone took command of all three ships while Mwu-san and Harlbarton-san took the defense on the cliffs."

"No Kage-san. You mustn't risk your life! I'll take command of the Nestor!" Prayer offered.

Kage shook his head, turned to the soldiers nearby and stated loudly. "Which one of you who would like to stay on board a ship on a suicide collision course with the Flagship of Goud Veia the Immortal Hero of Zaft and have a gung ho macho parley with him while you're at it?"

The soldiers looked at one another and swallowed hard in their nervousness, asking the sanity of the person who would do such thing with their looks. Kage turned around and said to everyone. "Neither would I. So I'll do it. It's my idea, after all."

"…but…"

"IT HAS TO BE DONE!" Kage roared cutting Natarle's comment. "…This… is the only way to assure a chance of victory… We… I have to be prepared to do at least this much! This is my strategy. If it needs blood to succeed then blood it will have. Mine. …In the event that I die, Harlbarton-san will reassume command of the battle."

Harlbarton looked at Kage and then he looked at his hand, and he suddenly realized Kage's hand was trembling out of fear.

"Kage-kun." The Old captain smiled kindly.

The ninja looked at the old man.

"Take care of my ship okay? She's brand new."

Kage blinked and laughed somewhat nervously, knowing full well his plan does not consider the intactness of the ship. "No promises."

Chapter 17:

The Great Men of Age

Back to the current time…

The cannons on the Archangel Cliff top kept roaring over the sound of the Zaft knights and Alliance Soldiers screaming and yelling non stop. Adding to the uproar, the Zaft Carpentaria fleet also began their bombardment. Cannonballs from both sides were colliding midair while series of explosions erupted on both sides.

"Keep firing!" Natarle yelled.

The man to man combat was equally ferocious. The Natural soldiers of the Alliance are beat by sheer individual performance and numbers of the Advanced fleet. But thanks to the lay of the land, in which they hold the higher ground, and endless stream of arrows and artillery shelling, The soldiers managed to hold their ground, what's with the knights were being funneled in by the narrow slope.

A Zaft Knight gasped as Prayer's lance went through his shield and stabbed his heart. Prayer pulled out and looked at the battle in the inlet. 'Onii-san's deadlocked with Raww… as usual… and from where I'm standing I can't see what the Captain is doing…' he looked deeper and saw Kage, holding two swords, while his opponent holds none. '…it does look… unbelievable as it may seem… Kage-san is actually WINNING! But you can never be too sure with the Hakutenkun…'

A scream from one of his soldiers caught Prayer's attention.

Yzak had just cut down another soldier. "Keep at it! Soon Lord Veia will kill that Black Devil and march with us!"

Prayer frowned and yelled. "Hold your ground! Beat them back! I'll deal with him." Brandishing his lance and buckler the blond French boy glared at the silver haired Russian knight.

"Don't push your luck, brat. My master is invincible."

"Somehow… I feel my luck is holding." Prayer charged, lance first at the Water Knight.

00000000000000

Murrue glanced at the shores and found more and more ships just keep coming. '…we can hold them down for some time… but at this rate, we'll be running out of ammo and men soon…' "WhoA!"

Her thoughts were cut short when a projectile missed her head by a hairbreadth. Murrue angrily looked at the culprit: a grinning Dearka holding the joined Dragon Buster staff, barrel smoking.

"Oi! Pay attention! Ha Ha!"

"That Arab is starting to piss me off…" Brandishing her spear, Murrue charged forward.

Dearka hastily split the staff and fired furiously at the charging Captain. Not so surprisingly, Murrue blocked them all with her spear.

00000000000000

Nichol's ship had just landed carrying the very last of Zaft's infantry reinforcement on the Northern slope. On the southern, Shiho also landed. There are no more ships. This is truly is, their last reserve.

Nichol looked at the chaos ensuing on the slopes. 'This is it… the last gasp.'

00000000000000

Meanwhile, Natarle had just ordered a reload when a reloader returned with the bad news: "Ma'am! This is the last of our ammo! Putting aside the one we left on the rear walls, the storage is practically empty!"

Natarle cursed. When the cannons fell silent, they will only have arrows to support them. "Make them count!"

00000000000000

With all this considered, both sides are on equal ground in terms of raw military might and the battle is entering a condition of stalemate.

For the alliance, the fact Archangel had suffered enormous loss of live during the previous ambush attack is a very harsh blow to their infantry strength. Despite that, even at full strength, Alliance infantry in general, regardless of which division, are basically normal human race being asked to fight human descendants of the old Demi God race (the Oni clan), which makes them practically superior to them in every way. The never ending salvos of cannons that are superior of the Advanced cannons have been the only reason they managed to hold their position. But as it stands, their burning through their already dwindling ammunition horribly fast. The moment they ran out, the soldiers will lose the artillery support (and with it, their only edge) and the Advanced Knight will crush them. This is their desperate, final stand.

For the Advanced, the cannons of Archangels (and the Alliance army's artillery in general) had been the stuff of nightmares. It is a well known fact, that the Naturals seem to have a knack in building artilleries, and theirs had proven to be superior in every way to the Adavanced counterparts. It has proven to be the bane of many defeats of Zaft's supposedly superior infantry, and it has proven true now as well. 6 Bladebane ships and the flagship Aquarius from Gamoff had been effectively removed from battle thanks' to Kage's unbelievable Poseidon's Trident maneuver. Of the 200 ships that sailed from Carpentaria, half has been destroyed just to reach the shores, and many more are lost during the climb of the slope. The last, the very last of their reinforcements had landed. This is their desperate, final push.

Both sides are exhausted.

The only thing that managed to keep them going is their morale, born from faith.

Faith in their respective commanding officers and strongest warriors dueling down below.

The fate of the battle of the Archangel Bay… now hangs in the balance.

00000000000000

Several clashes appeared midair. A moment later, Mwu appeared out of nowhere and Raww landed some distance away from him.

"Come on Nemesis, we're getting nowhere like this."

Mwu could barely contain his frustration. How long has this battle been going?

00000000000000

His head spinning. He'd lost enough blood to swim in it, and that wound on his shoulder won't stop bleeding anytime soon. He can hear his cracked bones practically trembling in their joints. His torn muscles are already been exhausted way past their limits.

"SaY it aGaiN yOu lit'l ShIt!"

"I don't care if you're the master and Veia is… like second best in mastery… I just can't imagine him weaker than you." Kage just stood there, holding both Hyomaen and Ensui in his hand, fighting back the poison in him. 'That's right… just goad him… keep talking…' "…the first time I fought Veia… he fought me straight on. He didn't let me get within 10 feet of him without getting myself slashed back by at least 20 feet."

Goud glared angrily at Kage.

"He never… begged… he fight me fair and square, he even went so far to tell me the secrets of his weapons first so I can tell him mine without burden."

The Hakutenkun began walking towards the Ninja. Anger and murder swell in his mad eyes. But Kage haven't finished talking.

"You use poisons. Lies. Tricks. And earlier you call Veia… a weak shit?" Kage chuckled. "So ask yourself… who exactly is the weak shit here? You're the one who need poisons and tricks to win!"

That was the last straw. Roaring mad, Goud charged towards the Shinobi.

Kage smiled nervously and held Hyomaen and Ensui tightly in his hand. One thing about Goud is that he is easily irritable. No that's an understatement… he's unstable, ferocious… and just… well… predictable. Kage jumped away as Goud smashed the spot where he was standing on.

Kage grunted. Now his enemy is unarmed. He got both of his weapons in his hand, but he couldn't use it. It felt empty.

'…we only react with someone who had mastered Hyomonken.' A sultry whispery voice sounded on Kage's head. It was Ensui's.

'I guess as much.' Kage pull out the Hyomaen, using it as a normal sword. "AaARGhHHH!" Goud hurl himself at the ninja. Goud's claw smashed through Kage's chest, but the teen managed to swing the katana upward, splitting that arm down the middle. The Hakutenkun didn't even wince or scream (he's roaring angrily, not painfully). The katana was halfway cutting through the said arm when the arm literally melded back into one and grabbed Kage's face. The Hyomaen were effectively stuck in the middle of the reformed arm.

"HOAAAAARGH!" With a roar, Goud smashed the young boy's head to the icy floor. Ignoring the awkward way in which Hyomaen pierced his arm, the maddened Hakutenkun simply raised Kage's head and slam it again, and again, and again. At this point, the back of Kage's head had blood flowing out almost freely.

Kage's eyes couldn't see anything but his pain tolerance had reached its most extreme limit to the point he didn't feel anymore pain the next time Goud bashed his head again. Just then, something soar right past his head and hit Goud's head on the full. Whatever it was, it shook Goud enough and he let go of Kage. Through his blood drenched eyes, which pretty much makes everything red, the teen can still discern a cannon ball plastered on Goud's face.

000000000000

Back at Archangel's rear wall, several soldiers were congratulating Miriallia's lucky shot.

"Whoo-hoo! You shot him right on his head. Nice going there, missy!"

"R-Rather than that, we have to help Ki… Kage! He's getting butchered down there!" A flustered Milly quickly regained composure.

"Oh I can't believe this!" Tolle gritted his teeth in anger. "How can that son of a gun took a cannonball on his head and it's NOT knocked off its socket?"

"Keep firing! But mind your aim!" Sai ordered.

Milly took command of one cannon. "Lift it a little bit… and FIRE!"

Goud had just removed the cannon ball from his face when a second cannon ball hit him again on the head.

The soldiers on the rear wall cheered again. "WOW! Two headshots in a row! That's no lucky shot lady! Ya definitely got talent!"

"Alright missy! You aim! We'll fire!"

"I don't know if I can aim well… but…"

"Come on Milly! We need accuracy if we're going to support Kage!" Sai encouraged the timid girl.

"O…Okay… I'll try my best…" Milly's gaze became more determined.

000000000

Meanwhile, Goud was still trying to comprehend the fact he was shot twice on the head, with cannonballs to boot. "Grrhh… WhAT's tHe biG IdEa heRe?" All the sudden, cannonballs start flying towards him at an intensified rate, and even worse, they're unbelievably accurate enough to avoid hitting Kage. So far, at least 3 had hit him squarely on the chest and various others had barely grazed him. "Ya PiEce of ShIT!" Angered, the Hakutenkun smashed another incoming cannonball to the side and looked towards the rear wall. "Okay! MaYbe I'll SlaUghTer evErYOnE in thAt fOrtrEss and then I'll coMe back to you!"

Kage perked up at that.

000000000

One of the soldiers at the rear wall gulped. "Oookay… we've poked the bloody hornet's nest now!"

000000000

Goud walked past the bloodied form of Kage. The Hakutenkun barely get within a few steps away from Kage when the bloodied black ninja suddenly rose up, and stabbed Ensui to his foot, nailing him. Goud apparently was too furious to care, he forcibly lifted his foot, and Ensui ripped apart his toes but Goud simply stomped on as the wound regenerated. Kage roared and, like a beast, hurled himself to Goud. The murderous knight was taken by surprise and was thrown off balance. Kage frantically used Ensui and began stabbing every part of Goud his hand can reach. Pretty soon Veia's armor was riddled with holes, but no blood came out. The wounds closed and healed almost an instant after they were made.

"H… hEY! UnhAnD mE yoU…"

"You are not leaving this ship! YOU HEAR ME! YOU! ARE! NOT! GOING! ANYWHERE!" In his frantic, desperate fit, Kage grabbed the Hyomaen that still stuck to Goud's arm; brutally rip it out just as Goud was able to throw him to the ground. Goud roared and charged at Kage just as he recovered to face the incoming opponent and gripped the Hyomaen, sticking out. The Odachi rammed through the charging Hakutenkun right through his heart, yet Goud pay no heed. More furious than afraid, Kage wildly swing the Ensui around and, either by luck or something, he managed to cut Goud's neck, effectively beheading him. The head was still rolling mid air. Kage quickly launched the Ensui from his hand and nailed the said head right through the opening visor midair, sending it crashing to the floor. Losing its head, the body disoriented for a moment and crashed to the ground.

Kage pant and gasped. All that happened in such rapid succession, he forgot to breathe altogether. Just then, he saw the headless body twitched slightly, and by reflex, Kage roared and slammed the Hyomaen straight to the body's heart, deep. "AND STAY DOWN!"

000000000

Upon seeing the spectacle, the cadets in the rear wall cheered. "YEAH! HE DID IT!"

"You sure? I mean… that guy's immortal right?" Milly was a bit skeptical.

"Immortal, Schmmortal! I don't even care if that guy is a fucking God! No one gets beheaded and NOT getting hurt!"

000000000

Kage fell on his knees, panting and gasping. Half crawling, half falling, Kage stood at the edge of the battleship, facing the open sea. "Air… I need some air!" Hurriedly, Kage took off his mask. 'It's okay… this is pretty far… no one will see…' Kira opened his mouth and breathe in as much cold hard air as he could. The sharp coldness pierced his lungs and the open wounds allover his body. He looked at his own reflection at the surface of the cold ice mirror, dirtied by drips of his blood as it may. His face was a complete mess, with lots of bruises, bathed in blood, and various cuts… and was his nose bent the wrong way? Kira chuckled and grabbed his nose. Gritting his teeth, he forcibly turned it back to the original spot. Blood trickled out of the said nose after the loud crack that follows. "Grgh!" The boy grunted, holding the pain. He tried to turn around but his body won't follow his commands anymore. So slowly, he looked up. From the angle of where he's standing there are no more Zaft ships left. The only one remaining are the ones already landed on the shores. 'A final push… but… I figure we would be running out of ammo right about now… …well… thank goodness I still got one card up my sleeve…'

But then, he suddenly sensed movement from his back. "…I should've known that won't work." Kira quickly put back his mask as behind him, lo and behold, Goud's headless body had just removed Hyomaen from his chest, stood up, pulled out Ensui and picked up his head before reattaching it back to its neck.

000000000

The cadets on the rear wall of Archangel gaped at the sight.

"…okay… now I've seen everything."

000000000

Struggling to his limits, it took all Kage have just to get back on his feet and turn around.

"HoW DARE you cuT oFf My hEad! I'M so AngRy I miGHt gO cRazY!"

"Weren't you already crazy from the get-go?"

For a moment there, Goud felt like he was about to retort, but then he went silent. He looked at the rear wall and then to Kage's figure. The next thing he knew, Kage began hearing the Hakutenkun chuckling.

"Ku-ku… that's right… I almost forgot…"

Kage frowned. The man's intonation seems normally insidious every time he's up to something.

"Veia said… there's someone important to you in that fortress…"

And Kage's eyes widened. God… if this guy reached the rear walls… Kage suddenly exploded in anger and dashed.

Goud roared incoherently. "OWARGHRGRhARhWhAGRAGHHH!" The knight slammed both of his weapons to the icy floor, unleashing a whole horde of demonic serpents made of blood. "TaJuU MiZunARI HeBI!" Kage groaned. Quickly regained his bearings, the shinobi pulled out his supposedly last energy katana and charged forward towards the incoming hail of serpents. He knocked the first few serpents away, but the remaining serpents hit him full. Three grazed his shoulder and another 4 smashed him right on his chest, cracking some of his ribs. One particularly huge blood serpent nailed him to the ground splashing his entire figure with blood while his chest felt like they've been hammered by a jackhammer. Kage choked but he tried to get back up, until suddenly, he couldn't move a finger. The ninja's eyes widened in realization: the blood around him had hardened solid; he's now locked in place.

"NoW yoU sTaY tHerE, wHile I gO and gIve sOmE of ThoSe FriEnds of yours a HeLL of a TiMe!"

Kage angrily groaned, trying to get up. The shinobi gritted his teeth when he found he couldn't.

"but from this… point onward… it will be a battle for survival… a battle without… honor"

"Now I finally understand what he meant." Kage's figure was trembling with anger. Something he felt back when he slaughtered all those Bladebanes suddenly tingled back to his mind. "You… are… not…!" Suddenly, the hardened blood began to tremble and cracked.

Goud was halfway leaving the scene when he realized what happened. He turned around and saw the black ninja was already halfway of getting back up.

"Going… ANYWHERE!" One of Kage's arms finally broke free of the blood bind.

The Hakutenkun looked incredulously. 'How the Fuck did that brat managed to break free out of… Tch!' "HYOMONKEN! HISAME!" Swinging the Hyomaen, a hail of frozen swords was launched to Kage's still locked position. The ninja could only gasped as the rain of swords is coming in fast.

Until suddenly a giant sword landed right in front of him, its flat surface managed to effectively shield him from all incoming attacks. Kage gasped and recognize the sword. It was Harlbarton's very own sword: the Glamm.

Goud tilted his head, wondering what happened, until suddenly, a strong, iron clad grip from a hand belonging to the owner of the said sword raise his body off the ground by the head.

"Get off my boy, you psychopath." And with that, Harlbarton smashed Goud's head to the floor, fast and hard, effectively sinking half of the knight's face into the ice floor. "And for a good measure…" the old captain raised his feet and stomped the Hakutenkun's head hard, completely burying the Hakutenkun's head.

Harlbarton briskly walked towards his sword and knelt next to it, facing Kage.

"Harlbarton-san? Where's-?"

"That mad fire knight? Sent him sleeping with the worms and the moles… didn't kill him… but he won't be troubling you anytime soon." Harlbarton smiled kindly.

In some inland, unexplainably far away from the main battleground, buried all the way down to his neck, was Miguel, angry as hell.

The old captain made several handseals and a small flock of fire blow out of his mouth. He gently controlled its output and melted all the blood binding Kage's body. When at last the last trace of the blood vaporized, Goud roared as he finally managed to get his head off the floor. "BwUaAAAhauAAA!" He looked around and saw Harlbarton tending to Kage. Without further ado, the mad Hakutenkun lunged himself towards the old captain.

Kage whimpered. But Harlbarton pay no heed and just as Goud's blades were just inches away from him, the old captain swing his fist backward and hard, accurately smashed Goud's face with the back of his hand, without even looking at the enemy.

"Don't stand up. Here… just take one of these." Harlbarton took a bag and take out a small pill, colored in black. "This is something I bought from Orb Medic nin… a soldier's pill. It's a high yield protein condensed in one tiny pill. It's enough to make a soldier continue fighting for a whole day without eating or resting… or so they say."

Kage took the pill and swallowed it. For a moment, he felt full of energy and all his pain seem to disappear completely. In fact, he felt refreshed and ready to fight again. The ninja try to get up but Harlbarton pushed him back. "Let me go! I can fight, he's immortal!"

"I know you can and you've done beautifully. But soldier's pill is only a pain suppressant and energy boost. They're like doping that will eventually wear off… and naturally it didn't heal your wounds. Now you go and rest, your part is done. Now let me take it from here." Harlbarton smiled one final time and turned around. He effortlessly took his large sword and marched towards Goud.

"GRrRGRgRgRgGGGHH!" Goud start growling again. Brandishing his two swords, Goud lunged towards the old captain. Harlbarton remain calm and raised his sword over his head. His famed Guard of the Hawk stance is at the ready. The moment both combatants are within striking range, Goud swung his weapon first. The pair of swords was rapidly going into Harlbarton's personal area to a certain extent… before Goud suddenly found himself getting hurled away a few feet from where he was standing before the clash. "W…wHat just HappEned?"

But Harlbarton didn't bother answering. Instead he placed himself firmly on the spot, raising his sword again, waiting patiently. In a stark contrast, Goud roared and yelled incoherently and rush forward haphazardly.

"Allow me to show you." The old captain gently spoke. "How to really use the Guard of the Hawk."

Kage, still lying half dead on the floor, his eyes widened slightly. Harlbarton wasn't speaking to Goud, he was speaking to him.

Goud swung his two weapons at Harlbarton again. The old captain quickly reacted the moment the attack entered striking range… but it was strange. In a direct contrast with Goud's lightning fast slash, Harlbarton's swing was slow and very smooth. The heavy blade of Glamm conveniently landed on the side of Hyomaen almost without a sound and gently moved to Ensui and nicked its surface just a thud. The trajectories of the two weapons were changed, and all the sudden, Goud found his chest completely open. Without stopping, the Glamm had already returned to its overhead position, and just like that:

Harlbarton's entire body suddenly went rigid and the giant blade blurred. Goud's eyes widened, a giant cut suddenly began descending on his armor from his shoulder to his chest. At the chest, the slash turned into a stab that pierced him halfway through. But Harlbarton isn't done yet. While one hand was holding the handle of the sword piercing Goud, the other hand suddenly moved to the butt of the sword and grabbed it. The old captain stomp forward effectively crushing the icy floor below, and his body bent forward, almost as if he was about to fall, but instead he used the momentum, putting his entire body mass into it and shoved the sword through. Even worse for Goud, Harlbarton rapidly spin the Glamm, turning the simple stab into a giant drill stab. The damage was monstrous.

The attack sent Goud off the ground backward, spiraling out of control with a completely obliterated torso and back.

Kage gaped at the sheer destructive force of the said technique. Now he truly realized: all those times they were sparing with each other, Harlbarton was taking it easy. 'So this is the man who led the 7th Fighting Division… Captain Lewis 'Iron Wall' Harlbarton.'

"A hawk always looked at the opponent's eyes. Even after the enemy's dead, even while it was feasting on its prey. It always, always, looked at the opponents eyes. Remember this well, Kage."

Kage looked at Harlbarton and, with the sudden understanding, he realized now just how laughable his version of Guard of the Hawk in comparison with the original one.

As if able to read his mind, Harlbarton spoke again. "Worry not. Your Guard of the Hawk is commendable. But you have not my experience. The time I've spent in one battle after another. But eventually, you too will amass experience, as I did. And you will grasp it as well."

Kage bent his head down. There was such a huge difference in strength between them. 'I guess… this is it for me huh?' Kage let his head fell. The last energy katana dispersed and with it, his vest also completely disappeared, leaving only his detached sleeve.

"GrghGh!" A groan drew their attention once more. Goud had got back on his feet. Water flow endlessly around his torn apart chest which rapidly recovers, reforming everything: his shattered ribs, his torn apart lungs even reformed its Heart. When it was over, a perfectly unscathed chest was shown.

"My, oh my. He really is an immortal." Harlbarton readied himself once more.

But it piqued Kage's interest. '…water? What's with those… water?'

"I'M GonnA KiLL YoU! I'M GOnNa FucKinG KiLl YoU!" He raised both of his sword overhead and launched a hailstorm of ice blades. "HYOMONKEN! HISAME!"

The old captain steadied himself in front of Kage, shielding him from incoming attack. He placed his sword overhead and then Kage saw it again.

The true form of the Guard of the Hawk.

Unlike the previous Guard of the Hawk which forbade anything to go inside the user's striking range, the true Guard of the Hawk in fact allows things to come in dangerously close to the user. This however, revealed openings in the opponent's form, opening which can be skillfully utilized. With little to no effort, without panicking or wasting any movements, Harlbarton simply knock all attacks that really going his way while casually ignoring others that of no danger to him or simply negligible. This true Guard of the Hawk, instead of blocking enemy's attack, is more like altering the enemy's attack in accordance to the user's will which require extremely precise control and pinpoint accuracy.

Indeed, despite the thousands of ice swords haphazardly flying about, not even one put so much of a scratch on Harlbarton or Kage, every one of them either missed horribly or changed to a conveniently safe direction midway. The moment the hailstorm ended, Goud's insane form was already right in front of Harlbarton's face.

'It's useless.' Kage sighed. '…once you entered the range of Glamm's striking range, you're at the mercy of the Hawk's eyes.'

A hawk always looked at the opponent's eyes indeed.

Goud gasped. He never really noticed it, at least not until he get this close. Harlbarton's eyes had never left his eyes, even throughout the whole ice swords bombardment. Goud suddenly found Glamm pressed to his chest. And with an upward slash, the Hakutenkun was sent flying upward, spiraling out of control.

"It's Goud isn't it?" Harlbarton calmly approach the spot where Goud landed in a crash. "I've had multiple encounters with Veia in the past. And I must admit, doing something like this to him was something I used to do only in my dreams."

"I'LL KILL YOU! I'LL FUCKING KILL YOU!" Goud was completely blinded by rage, and just like before, charge straight from the front. Again, Harlbarton gently redirect his attack, and, swinging his giant sword like a baseball bat, sent Goud flying with a few limbs obliterated.

The Hakutenkun quickly regenerates. He quickly sent a wave of icicles bursting right under their feet. But Harlbarton, almost too easily, retaliate in the same manner and again it end the same way. Meanwhile, Kage continue to watch, battling the poison and the pain coursing through his body. He really wish he could just faint, but no. But…

'…what is this… feeling? What is this instinct that tells me if I… I didn't pay attention to this battle… if I lose consciousness… we will lose?' In truth, throughout this entire ordeal, Kage had been swinging between fainting and staying awake. But eventually, with the amount of injury he had suffered, it is only a matter of time before he succumbed. Only that when he does, he suddenly jerked half awake when images appearing on his head. Again. This time he saw Harlbarton getting cut down by a maniacal Goud and he fell on the floor, his upper and lowers half separated. The Alliance soldiers were butchered one by one. Fuji getting hailed away by a barrage of cannons and arrows. The Archangel fortress burns with the Alliance flag were replaced with Zaft's. When Kage jerked back to God sent consciousness, he realized one undeniable fact: they will all die if he didn't do anything.

Kage looked at Harlbarton. His focus was instantly fixed on the spot where, in his vision, he saw Harlbarton was ripped in half. Kage's eyes widened in realization. Blood trickling from the edges of Harlbarton's captain vest.

Truth be told, cold sweat began to drench Harlbarton's neck. Worse, all the sudden, although Goud still attacking ferociously, the immortal warrior suddenly began concentrating on one particular side.

'Crazy but not stupid…' Harlbarton groaned inwardly. 'He noticed.' Blood continues to flow out from his torn apart side stomach, hidden quite well beneath his vest. Although he won against Miguel, the mad Fire knight still managed to did a number on his being. And now, Goud noticed it, and start using it to his advantage.

Goud continue to charge again and again, every blow Harlbarton blocked made his visage getting paler by the second. It clearly hurt the defender more than the attacker (especially when the latter is a god-damn immortal). Goud charged in again and Harlbarton raised his sword to defend. But midway, the old captain suddenly twitched and reacted late. Goud's slash finally went in and Ensui was just about to cleave in Harlbarton's figure, and the person in question was just about ready to …

…until Kage suddenly decided to jump in and smash Ensui away, pushing Goud back.

"Kage?" The sudden appearance shocked both elder combatants.

Shoving another pack of Soldier's pill to his mouth while still munching the others, brandishing the last energy katana, Kage pointed his katana at Goud. "Get off my Captain, you psychopath."

"I ThoUghT You Ran oUt of ThaT GurRen ThiNG!"

"And who on earth gave you that idea?" Swishing his Kurenai Shiki energy katana, Kage stood right next to Harlbarton.

"Kage…kun?"

"The only thing left of Kurenai Shiki is this sleeve. So this Gurren is really is my last."

"You should rest."

"Don't worry, I'm fine. Remember, the original plan was for us to gang up on Goud Veia right?"

"But…"

"Harlbarton-san… who is more unfortunate?"

"Pardon?"

"He who lacks… or he who excess?"

Harlbarton thought for a moment. "I don't think there's an answer to that, Kage-kun."

Kage embraced a thought, and nodded. "Yeah. That's what I thought." Brandishing his energy katana, Kage made ready to fight. "Just focus to block his attacks from any other area besides the one I'm covering-WHOA!" No sooner than Kage said that, Goud had slammed both of his weapons at him again. The ninja groaned under the pressure. But Harlbarton quickly disappeared, and suddenly reappeared right on top of Goud and slam his Glamm hard, breaking the floor apart, creating a small flock of steam. Goud managed to back away in time and disappeared.

Kage quickly ready himself. All the sudden Goud appeared right in front of him, but before he can react, Harlbarton suddenly blocked a slash. When's Kage's attention were drawn, Another Goud suddenly appeared to his side and attacked. The ninja had just barely blocked him when suddenly another attack hit him on his shoulder. "Argh!"

"Huddle up!" Harlbarton roared. And the two closed the distance between them. Kage remember facing this before. Goud's speed was fast enough that he can leave behind hundreds of semi real after-images of him. As expected, hundreds of Goud suddenly appearing around them and are consecutively attacking them from every direction within moments of each other. Both fighters' swords swished and turned, blocking every attack coming their way.

Goud realized not one of his attacks came through. And this simply enraged him even more. "GragARgARgARGHH! WhY WoN'T YoU jUSt DIEEEE!" all the sudden, the ice floor around the two break apart and pieces of it, each the size of an iceberg float around them.

"What now…"

The iceberg partially break apart. Some of the pieces melted to water, other pieces instantly vaporized. The ice, water and steam suddenly began mixing with one another. Harlbarton frowned. "Kage-kun… this is…"

"The three forms of Hyomonken: Water, Ice and Steam… it only makes sense that there should be a technique in there that combines them all."

"THAT'S RIGHT! NOW LET ME SHOW YOU THE TRUE POWER OF THE ONE WHO HAD MASTERED HYOMONKEN IN ITS ENTIRETY!" Goud's mad voice echoed allover the maelstrom of water, ice and steam. The three elements began to mix and formed a horde of hundreds of dragons made of ice and water, with steam bursting from their scales, encircling the two combatants.

"Holy…"

"Oh… my…"

"HYOMONKEN-OUGI! SEIRYUU NO EIKOU! (Glory of Seiryuu) In unison, every dragon from every direction charged at Kage and Harlbarton. One after another, the dragons collided with their target, creating a massive explosion of icicles, water, and steam. The bombardment continues on and on, for several minutes, the sound of the dragon exploding icicles and steam can be heard allover the battlefield. Finally, after the last dragon fell, a large drenched iceberg of icicles, covered in steam can be seen right on the spot where Kage and Harlbarton were standing.

Goud finally reappeared and looked at his handiwork. He laughed maniacally. "GyAhAhAYHhAHAHAhaHAA! LOOK WHAT HAPPENS TO THOSE WHO DARE TO OPPOSE ME! GhyAHAHAHAyHAYHAyHAyHA!"

No sooner than he finished, two bursts of flame exploded right next to his feet, and from these flames, a pair of hands – one was Kage's and the other was Harlbarton's, suddenly appeared right from the ground and grabbed his legs. Both Kage and Harlbarton used the same jutsu. "Doton: Shinjū Zanshu no Jutsu! (Earth Element: Groundhog Technique Decapitation)" And suddenly Goud found himself being dragged into the ground. "WHAT THE…! YOU BASTARDS!" Goud quickly slashed the arms holding him multiple times. But the arm quickly disappeared amidst the flames, and Goud was buried halfway down.

At that moment, all the steam dispersed as a pair of fire dragon drill out of the ice floor, and at the center, Harlbarton and Kage suddenly charged out of the firestorm. Both were going at the locked Goud with a stab. The two blades, both material and immaterial hit him right on the chest and, to his shock, both Kage and Harlbarton rapidly spin their blades in different direction. And while the blades are still spinning and obliterating the victim's innards…

"Harlbarton-san!"

"Yosh!"

In concert, the two Alliance warriors swing their blades sideways to opposing direction while the blades still spinning. Goud's upper half was completely torn apart, leaving a brutally ripped apart stump of his lower half buried in the ice. His head spiraling around. Kage quickly finished a jutsu and fired: "Katon, Goukyaku no Jutsu!" The fireball quickly made its way to Goud's head and completely vaporized its content, leaving behind an empty smoking antler horn helmet clanking on the floor.

The two looked at the brutally ripped apart of a stump that is Goud Veia's lower half. The two fighters panted and gasped and fell on their knees.

"Oh dear lord… You fought for well over a few hours against this monster…"

"Few hours? I thought it was only a few minutes!"

"Things get a little hazy in combat, including our sense of time. How did you learn how to use Dragon Stinger?"

"Dragon Stinger… you mean that spinning Stinger stab? Well you threw a couple of those suckers at me during intensive training, remember that?"

"I used normal Stingers at you."

"Yes, well… I kinda figure someone like you could make it stronger by putting a spin into it."

"Right you are." Harlbarton smiled in admiration. This kid is very perceptive. "Nice idea by the way, using the Karyuu Endan to blast off a path from that tight spot."

"Nice perfect Karyuu Endan for your first time, sir."

"Years of practice." Harlbarton was about to chuckle again but he was overwhelmed at last by the injury on his side stomach. "Ergh…" The Captain touched the wound underneath the vest. When he pulled out his hand, it was covered in blood.

"You better get that looked at."

"I could say the same to you and your shoulder."

"Nerve poison. Thanks to whatever other muck he put into me…" Kage looked at Goud's stump.

"…I don't think he'll be coming back up."

"Veia told me… you can't kill him by simple dismemberment. Blowing up the parts that has been cut won't work either. He can regenerate himself as fast as he's injured." Kage looked at the stump, and, truth be told, he can see Goud's severed spinal cord began to reform again, albeit slowly. "But when I stabbed his head, it took some time for his body to regenerates. Now I vaporized his head clean… it'll take some time. We can rest easy."

"He's more like a zombie… But all the rest in the world won't help you when your enemy is immortal!"

"No. We don't have to defeat him; we need to defeat his forces. The last of the Zaft's reinforcements is here. I just need to play my last trump card." Kage tied an explosive tag to a kunai and throw it to the sky. Kage grinned. "I didn't dare to play this card a little early because… well… there was no guarantee what Goud Veia or Raww le Klueze are capable of."

000000000000000

The soldiers on the cliffs saw the signal and realized the last portion of Kage's plan is now in motion.

Like a raging sea god, Fuji suddenly burst out of the ocean below the southern cliff and roared. Grabbing the heavy Zaft battle barge, the giant man lifted it up over his head, tossing the knights on board to crash down below. "HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!" Using the heavy ship like a giant mace, the giant dropped the ship on top of another. 'Damn these Advanced ships are heavy alright!'

"Holy shit! We totally forgot about that monster!" One of the Zaft knights gaped.

"No we don't!" Dearka grinned. "Unload our own monster!"

One battle barge unlatched the surface of their entire upper deck and from it, pull out a huge cannon. Not nearly as big as the Lohengrin, but its 5 times larger than even the triple barreled Isolde. 5 large knights and 5 horses were needed to turn the cannon to aim at Fuji.

"Whoa!" Seeing the size of the cannon, Fuji quickly used the battle barge as a shield, and just in time.

"Tanhausser Cannon! FIRE!" The large cannon roared in a noise equivalent to its size. The bullet flew out of the barrel, punched through the battle barge and grazed Fuji's shoulder. The thing is, a small part of the Tanhausser suddenly exploded after the shot.

"Gah!" Fuji groaned as he was pushed back hard enough that he fell on his back. "And I thought only the Alliance have the big guns!"

The cannon squad of the Tanhausser knew better though. "Damn! That Zala guy did say this thing is still a prototype… Reload! RELOAD! And someone hurry and cool off the cannon! HURRY UP!"

Murrue groaned when she saw the huge cannon. "Are they trying to imitate our Lohengrin? But it's still imperfect… FUJI! SECURE OR DESTROY THAT THING!"

"Way ahead of you miss captain!" Fuji angrily waded through the enemy fleet. Alas, despite his huge size, or rather, due to it, he became an easy target for arrows and cannons.

000000000000000

"Wow… I guess it's bound to happen. They always feared our cannons after all…"

Kage however, distinctly remember what it was. '…Tanhausser… I thought you said that thing will never exist out of papers…' "But it changes nothing. I thought Fuji could've dealt with the army easily. Now with that thing around… this ain't gonna be easy."

"And the only way to settle this is…"

"Either the enemy forces on the Northern Cliff were pushed back… or we found a way to kill this immortal madman and parade his personal effects in front of his men. That would devastate their morale greatly."

As they continue this conversation, Harlbarton just realized that Goud had already regenerated his torso area, and its getting faster and faster by the second. "What if we use a twin Goukyaku no jutsu, and burn him till there's nothing left?"

"Unless we can get him to the very last cinder, he can still regenerate from that." Kage looked to the sky and saw some clashes occurring. Mwu and Raww are still deadlocked in their own deathmatch. He turned his attention to Goud and realized the Hakutenkun need only to regenerate his head. But something's odd. The body didn't move a budge… 'Wait a minute…'

Kage quickly approached the body and grabbed the man's shoulder… and it suddenly shattered to ice flakes. Kage's eyes widened. It was a decoy. "Son of a…"

Suddenly, the whole ice platform that is the battlefield ripped asunder. Both Kage and Harlbarton, taken by a complete surprise, were thrown off the ground by the shockwave. "Kage-kun! Stick with chakra! Stick with chakra!" With the floor they were standing were breaking apart to pieces left and right. Just then, another huge hunk of ice snapped to two and came crashing upon them.

"JUMP!" The two warriors jumped away from the danger spot and stick to the cliff wall.

The two looked at the shattered platform. "Damn he really got us. But where is he?" Harlbarton looked around the wreckage. He couldn't see anything. "Do you see him, Kage-kun? Kage-kun?" Harlbarton heard no reply and he turned his attention to Kage. The boy was no longer there. He saw in the distance and gasped. Kage was desperately running on the wall, back to the direction of the fortress. That's when the old captain finally realized what's happening. "So that's what… aargh! Why didn't I see this sooner…"

Down below, the surface of the water on the inlet was getting frozen, forming an ice road and one can see Goud was running on top of it. With murder and glee mixed in his eyes, the mad knight was charging towards the rear wall.

The cadets who saw this began quaking in fear. "Oh shit… oh shit! He's coming for us!"

"Ready on guns!" Sai quickly yelled.

Unfortunately, only a few managed to summon enough courage to follow Sai's words.

"Come on men, get up! He's coming!" Tolle forced some of the horrified cadets back on their feet.

"Fire! FIRE!" Milly desperately screamed, and several cannons began to fire. As expected, they accurately flew to Goud's direction. Goud simply laughed and cut the cannonballs midair while eying at the one firing the cannons, specifically, Miriallia.

"I seE yOu biTCh!"

Suddenly Miriallia felt a chill at the back of her neck. And to her great horror, she realized what it was: Goud was looking at her.

In a blink of an eye, the Hakutenkun suddenly appeared right in front of them, standing atop the cannon barrel. The cadets screamed in horror and tried to run. Goud laughed maniacally and raised his swords and was about to slash Milly. Until suddenly Kage appeared right next to him and sent a kick to his face. The blow seems to be quite unexpected that it managed to send Goud rolling on the floor.

"Ki-Kage!" Milly gasped in surprise.

"It's Kage!" The other cadets also cheered.

His mind was too preoccupied with the thoughts of stopping Goud, Kage ignored the cheers and went straight to Goud.

"Oh WhaT's wiTH yoU? Just lEt me fiNIsh-" Kage's left hand found its way to Goud's head and, summoning unworldly power out of nowhere, he can actually feel the helmet dented slightly under his grip. Still with that power, Kage slammed the murderous maniac of a Knight's head straight to the ground and grind it along the floor.

"AAAAAAAAARGHH!" Kage was more furious than desperate. The thought that this man… this… monster… is going to hurt his friends just to gain an upper hand against him is absolutely unacceptable. The grinding finally stopped after Kage smashed Goud's head into a wall. After which the ninja began pounding at the knight's face with his right arm. After several more pounding, Kage realized this is not going to work. And so he grabbed Goud's right arm, the one holding Hyomaen and kneed its elbow, breaking it, forcing him to let go of the Nodachi. Next, he put a foot on Goud's left arm, and step on Ensui, breaking its blood sword before kicking it away. Finally he grabbed Goud's head with both of his hands and began crushing it under his palms. Kage put all the power he can muster and he could actually feel Goud's antler horn helmet began to crack. For a moment, Kage feel slightly elated, feeling he can win at last.

And all the sudden his strength left him and to the Ninja's horror, he wasn't able to move a muscle anymore.

"Eh?"

In an instant, Goud regenerated his arms, grabbed Hyomaen and cast: "Hyomonken, Hisame!" Only a small hail of sharp ice fragments flew out of the nodachi and impaled the paralyzed Kage. One ice shard embedded on Kage's side stomach while two smaller but sharp ones stuck on Kage's shoulder. But it was a shallow stab and none are in particularly dangerous spot. But it was enough to send Kage flying back and fell before his horrified friends.

"WhAt's ThIS?" Goud groaned and looked at Hyomaen. It looks off color and had lost its radiance.

Meanwhile, Kage was completely paralyzed. 'Wh… what happened? Why couldn't I move…?' then his eyes widened in realization. 'The nerve poison… I see… it was spreading slowly a while back… now it's completely all over my body!' Kage's purple eyes gazed helplessly at his friends behind him.

Get out of here!

To his horror, his voice won't come out. RUN! His brain screamed the order to the mouth that won't move.

"Oh WeLL." Goud tossed away the Hyomaen and looked menacingly at the prey before him. "I wAs wOnDeriNG whEn wiLL thaT pOiSon toOk EffECT."

"Poison?" Sai gritted his teeth.

"You dirty rotten son of a…" Tolle burst in anger. So Kira has been fighting a god damn cheater!

Goud looked at the cadets sinisterly. They were all just lamb for slaughter. But a certain pack of trio particularly caught his interest. But to be absolutely sure… The Hakutenkun grabbed Kage's head and lift it up so that he can get a good view of them all.

"So?" Goud tighten his grip on Kage's head. "Which one is it? Out of all these lowlifes, which one is the most important for you?"

Kage looked at his friends. Goud followed his sight and his eyes landed on Sai, then Tolle, and then finally Milly. Goud smiled sinisterly behind his helmet and tossed Kage away. He began moving to Milly. "Looks like we have a winner."

Tolle angrily protectively run in front of Milly. "I'll kill you if you touch her you monster!"

"Thinking back, I owe that bitch for all those cannonballs she tossed at me, didn't I?" He raised Hyomaen and charged forward. Kage let out a mute scream, but all the sudden, a giant sword flew out of nowhere and embedded itself on Goud's neck disorienting him for a moment. In that instance, Harlbarton came crashing down on top of the Hakutenkun and grabbed his sword still embedded on the knight's neck.

Without saying another word, the old captain twisted it up and ripped the head off its neck. "Kids! Get out of here! It's not safe anymore!"

"But Kage's wounded… he was poisoned! We're not going anywhere while-"

"I know." Harlbarton grabbed Kage's body, with the last of the Kurenai Shiki, the detached red sleeve, still wrapped his right arm, and throw the boy to his gang. Sai and Milly took him, but Tolle glanced worriedly at Harlbarton. All the sudden, Goud's body twitched again, sending most of the cadets scrambling in terror, leaving just Kage, Harlbarton and Kira's group with Goud.

"Go! Get to the medical ward and get Kage treated!"

"But what about you!" Tolle looked at the ridiculously severe wound on Harlbarton's side stomach.

"Been through worse. NOW DO AS I SAY!" Harlbarton final roar stopped the argument short.

Tolle gritted his teeth and together with the rest run away inside the fortress. Meanwhile, Goud had just reattached his head and looked angrily at Harlbarton.

000000000000000

For some reason and due to the lack of space, Mikhail Coast had found himself locked in a hospital ward. Well, the part of his stomach that was stabbed by Prayer still under medical attention, but based on his own understanding as a doctor, he understand pretty well that he's basically physically fit. But he's not a fighter. He's a doctor. He's supposed to be a lifesaver, not a lifetaker.

Right now, he kept seeing things he's so used to see these days in Zaft's medical ward. As soon as a head on collision between two armies occurred, the flow of the injured will increase tenfold. Soldiers screaming, holding their lost limb. Young'uns in mental shock, screaming murder and crying. 'Seeing by the number of injured people coming in… and the injuries they've suffered… many receive physical damage that would demand a total recovery period of at least 2 weeks… mental recovery is probably well over a month… 87% of these people will not be able to return to active combat duty any time soon, the rest will never be able to enter combat duty again due to physical and mental over-stress…'

"MEDIC! WE NEED MEDIC HERE!" Tolle screamed desperately.

Mikhail's train of thoughts were cut as soon as the scream pierced the noise in the medical word.

Tolle lead the group carrying the paralyzed and misshapen Kage towards the Medical Ward. When they get there, the medical ward was filled to the brim by wounded soldiers and medics running left and right treating the injured. When the wounded soldiers saw a bunch kids comes in carrying the half dead Kage on their shoulders, everyone gasped and quickly make way.

Mikhail saw the figure and recognized the man shaped demon… but he never would've guessed he would live to see him in such a… horrifying state. '40% of his muscles strands are torn apart in at least 12 different spots, multiple severe fractures in bone structure, skin losing color, he had lost 15% of his blood, multiple stab and slash wounds… especially that shoulder… wound looks old, had yet healed… possibly poison… body twitching abnormally, nerve poison…' Mikhail could only come up with one person who can inflict that amount of damage on a single person. '…my God… did he fought one on one with Lord Veia… to the point Lord Veia was forced to switch to Goud?'

Meanwhile, the Archangel's Chief Doctor was shocked when he saw the horrifying shape of his masked patient. Some of the injured soldiers who witnessed this even vomited.

"If I didn't see this guy breathing I'd say you guys brought me a corpse. Get ready for emergency treatment! We need to get these shrapnel out!" But before the doctor could operate, Kage's hand grabbed the doctor's cloak, to the shock of everyone.

The doctor looked at Kage's eyes. Weakly, the boy muttered in single words. "Treat… nerve poison… must… get back… fight…"

"No way! You shouldn't even move anymore! You can't take part in this battle any longer!"

Kage remained adamant. Fighting the nerve poison continuously encroach his system, Kage still struggled to speak. "CAPTAIN HARLBARTON… DANGER… MUST… HELP!"

Every soldier who looked at the scene were deeply moved. They looked at their own injuries, none of them are light, and then they looked at Kage's horrifying form. They suddenly felt embarrassed. How laughable their injuries are in comparison to the state Kage's in. Shape of this guy's physique, he's probably no older than the kids that brought him in. But he still wants to help them all win.

"Kage-dono! Where's Captain Harlbarton?" One of the soldiers who lost one of his eyes asked.

"Fighting… Goud… Veia… top… rear wall…"

"Okay." Limping, he took a katana and was getting ready to dash off. One of his fellow soldier stopped him.

"Are you nuts? Kage-dono said there's a Hakutenkun up there!" The man that said this had his cheek ripped from the edge of his lips, creating a horrifying one sided Glasgow smile.

The one eyed soldier slapped the hand away. "We are soldiers of the 7th Division. This is OUR Fortress. No Zaft devil can get all high and mighty and trash this place without us having a say about it!"

The man shook his head and took a sword. "What I meant is, are you nuts, going there alone to hog all the glory by yourself?" Suddenly, many other injured soldiers, despite their wounds still bleeding also rise up and took their weapons. The doctors who were treating them flabbergasted and at a complete loss of words, they forgot to reprimand their patients.

The one eyed man smirked. "Then tag along."

"GUYS…!" Kage barked.

Sai stood up. "Guys, look, he's immortal. We've shot his head with cannons, Kage and Captain Harlbarton had sliced him to pieces, blow his head off, and still he lives! You guys are no match for him."

One of the soldiers, an elderly soldier who had lost an arm, pushed Sai down with his remaining arm and snorted. "Ya hear that boys? A brat and an old man can do that much damage to Zaft's famed Hakutenkun. This should be a chinch for us wounded men." The man then declared to everyone in the room. "Those of you who are able to stand and hold a weapon, get your sissy ass back on your feet. Let's show them what men of the 7th division are capable of!" And nearly half of the people in the ward get back up; limping as they did so, grabbed their weapons and joined the ranks.

The soldiers chuckled to one another. And without further ado, they all left. Not a trace of fear left in their eyes of the wounded soldiers who are now marching likely to their doom. The soldiers walked out of the ward without looking back, leaving behind the stunned medical attendants behind.

Once they've reached a distance, the one who rallied everyone chuckled. "They say old timer gotta step aside and let the young uns do the job… Seeing a boy like that… kinda reminds me when I was young."

"I've known you for 20 years and I've never seen you fight half as good as that guy."

"I know… he's a much better person than me… that's why he's definitely gonna come back to his feet even if he had to drag himself up… he's gonna return back fighting."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Can't see his face, but his eyes, unlike ours, ain't dead yet."

"Ah, yeah… yer right." One soldier nodded.

"Absolutely." The other also nodded.

"Alright, you war pigs… let's go get ourselves killed. Let's lose another limb to this immortal bastard and scream Fuck! Fuck! Let us old relics pave a way and give chance to the youngs."

Every one of these men, they all had the same plan in their heads. They're all going to fight Goud Veia. They are all going to die. And they are going to buy time with their lives. Until Kage recover.

And none of them are flinching.

Of all the shocked souls left in the medical ward, no one was more shocked than one Mikhail Coast. 'Wha… what just happened? Those guys that just left… physically they are still partially capable of fighting… but just a little while ago, my diagnose showed none of them are mentally fit to return to active combat… and yet… all the sudden…' the doctor looked at the weak and paralyzed Kage. '…this man… just what is he?' And Mikhail made a decision. "Let me help. I'm a doctor."

"Yeah right. You're a murder saboteur, Mister. The only chance we will ever gonna let you help is when Hell freezes over!" Tolle barked.

"With the amount of blood he's losing by the second, I won't even have to lift a finger and let you amateur idiots treat him, and he'll be dead for sure. If the idea is for him to survive, LET ME HELP."

Kage looked at Mikhail. Now, at the edge of life and death, he finally remembered this man's face. He was that doctor who treated Fuji's wounds that night. At his current state, he can only utter a word: "Why?"

"…I'm a doctor before I'm a Bladebane. I have my principles."

Everyone looked at Mikhail and then to Kage, apparently leaving the decision to him. Kage finally nodded. "…do…it."

Mikhail smiled and shoved his chained hands. "A doctor needs his hands."

Tolle and Sai was still a bit reluctant, but they finally concedes. Sai unlocked the chains, but Tolle grabbed a sword and menacingly point it at Mikhail. "One wrong move buddy… and I'll kill you."

000000000000000

The wounded soldiers were quick to make their way to the rear wall. It's just that, before they can get to the surface, the wall suddenly burst open, and from there, Harlbarton, beaten, covered in cuts and blood, and worse for wear, were shoved through the crumbling walls.

"Captain?" They gasped.

"Guys? What are you doing here?" Harlbarton choked as blood trickled at the corner of his torn lips. The blood from the wound on his side stomach is flowing ever freely now. He looked incredulously at his wounded soldiers. The state they're in, they should be in the ward, not on a battlefield!

"We're here to take a piece out of this guy."

"With your body like that? No way in hell."

"You should talk, Cap. For a guy who holds the title Iron Wall, you're in a pretty sorry state!"

"He's good… I had no idea how did Kage survived fighting this monster one on one."

The busted wall was cut to pieces as Goud walked in with Hyomaen and Ensui in hand. "WhAt's ThIS? MoRe mEat fOR ThE SlaUghTER?"

"Guys, you should go back. This is a direct order from your captain."

"With all due respect, shove it up your ass Captain." The soldier chuckled. Since their going to die, might as well pull out all their stops. "…he's gonna come back."

"Yeah. He's definitely gonna come back."

"Heck, even if he died, I bet he's gonna be such a goodie-goodie tougher-than-thou son of a bitch for the devils, Hell would've spat him back out."

"Totally."

Harlbarton looked at his men. They all believed in Kage. The old captain smiled. "Let's show him how we do this, 7th division style."

And with a great cry, the great men all charged against the immortal.

000000000000000

At the Archangel Bay…

Now Mwu is really anxious. Just a moment ago he saw Kage and Harlbarton beat the crap out of Goud Veia. The combo was good. And he thought he can at last focus on Raww and ignore everything else. He wasn't even distracted by that flashy ice technique Goud pulled out. For a moment, he was actually able to make Raww fight for his life.

But then, the battleship finally broke apart, and then he suddenly couldn't find Kage, Harlbarton… and even more alerting, Goud Veia was nowhere in sight. The shock proved to be his undoing, and suddenly he found himself suffering a few injuries he shouldn't have.

"Nemesis, what's wrong with you? What's with this weird performance? You're getting better, you're getting worse, you're getting better again… come on. Give me some sustained performance will you?"

Mwu angrily groaned. The fight at the two cliff tops had become a battle of attrition. The only way to turn the tables is by defeating the head of the army. His fight with Raww is going nowhere. He couldn't gain the upper hand, and neither could his rival. But a stalemate is still not a win.

Their only hope now is for Kage and Harlbarton to finish off Goud Veia.

…as impossible as it may sound.

000000000000000

Barely 15 minutes had passed, and of all the brave souls who left the ward, now there are only two souls left.

Halrbarton could barely hold his heavy large sword with one hand, while his other hand limped uselessly. Throughout the fight, Goud haven't used his horrifying sword style. He's using pure sword techniques to fight. And it was still plenty to powerful for them.

The last surviving soldier could barely stand nor see. Blood clotted one of his eyes, rendering him partially blind.

In front of the two, Goud stood atop a pile of corpses, on both of his swords, multiple body parts were skewered and hanged there imposingly. "CoME On! Is THaT aLL?" The Hyomaen was no longer glowing, but it was covered in blood, while Ensui is now bigger than even the Hyomaen after all the blood it absorbed from Harlbarton's men.

The last soldier looked at Harlbarton and gave one final salute before he rushed forward and raise his sword with his remaining hand.

In less than a second, the man was split to pieces and another body part was skewered on the sword.

Harlbarton gritted his teeth in anger and forced himself to get back up. Just like before, he put his sword over his head again.

"Oh pLeaSe. ThaT moVE iS GeTTinG BorING!"

Harlbarton frowned but then he smiled. "Old people like me are supposed to be boring." The old captain continues on. "We old men continue to be shackled by old values, old experiences. In doing so, we sometimes thought it is right to suppress the new."

"HegH? WhAt aRe YoU BlaBBerInG abOUt?"

"The new needs friends. Old values and old ideas exist to help pave a way for the new." Harlbarton smiled peacefully. "Veia… if there's a single shred of you left in there… you should understand this too."

Goud growled angrily. He tried to go right in front of that old man in a flash and rip him to pieces, but his body twitched and won't move. 'HrgH? WhAt tHe…'

In that instant, Harlbarton suddenly bulge forward in a flash and quickly brought his sword down.

Blood splattered everywhere…

…As Goud regained the control of his body at the last second and stabbed Harlbarton on his belly with both of his swords.

However, Harlbarton simply smiled as he choked his blood, while Goud was horrified at the amount of blood splattered allover him. "W… Wh… S… STAY AWAY FROM ME WORM!" Shrieking, uncharacteristically in genuine fright, the Hakutenkun pushed Harlbarton's body away. Goud desperately placed Ensui on his bare chest and have it absorbed all the blood from his body.

Meanwhile, as the barely alive Harlbarton stagger backward, his smile remained, knowing that his men's sacrifice was not in vain.

Roaring angrily while tears flooded his eyes, the finally arrived Kage stepped on the dying Harlbarton's shoulder and jumped over him. As he land, with an unbelievable force, he cut Goud apart to two.

000000000000000

Tolle sent a fist straight to Mikhail's face. "You son of a bitch!"

The doctor received it without responding and fell on his back.

Tolle was about to have another go when Sai stopped him. Sai looked at Mikhail and asked: "…why?"

"…why… what?"

"…you stitched some of his wounds… you cure him of his poison… and you even let him go?" Sai looked at the unhinged door where Kage, no longer paralyzed but no less wounded than he was a moment ago, had just rushed out in a hurry.

"Why… it should be obvious isn't it?" Mikhail chuckled. "…I'm a doctor. And one of our principles as a doctor, is better to prevent rather than to cure. The mental state that boy was in… he would rather trade his well being for another chance to get back into the fight."

"You'll send him to his death!" Tolle yelled.

"…and you call yourself his friend?" Mikhail glared at Tolle. "…I just watched that dying boy, with only a few brief words… turn my 15 years worth of experience of logical medical understanding of human psyche upside down." Mikhail remembered the looks of those men walked out of the door. How different they were until a moment ago. Now he finally able to accept the fact how Kage managed to turn Fuji to their side. "I never should've underestimated the power of human will… you shouldn't either."

Tolle was taken back. The other doctors weren't entirely pleased with that illogical answer. "Somebody get him back to his cell."

Mikhail was chained back and tossed back to his place. He looked at Sai, the one who seemingly approve with what he had done. "As a doctor, I say this: at the present his body didn't need curing. But his mind… his psyche would suffer irreparable damage if he had stayed and get his wounds tended. It would've killed his will… and when a will is killed, the man is dead. Even if he's talking or breathing or eating. And I'm a doctor. My job is to save lives. Not take them."

Sai still unconvinced with such an illogical answer. But he still, he cannot help but brush a feeling that Mikhail's action was indeed the right thing to do. He looked at the direction where Kage had left and whispered. "Go get him buddy."

Mikhail smiled satisfyingly and remembered his Multiple Personality Disordered master. '…whatever happens… you owe me big for this… Lord Veia.'

000000000000000

Kage felt a black, all consuming rage exploded at the back of his head when he saw what Goud had done to Harlbarton and his men. These were good brave men. They weren't supposed to die had he not been so careless. He looked at Goud, the one who had done all this. The maniac didn't do it for anything. He's doing this for fun. The final stroke came when he stabbed Harlbarton. The old man's last words were not only directed at Veia. It was also directed to him. Harlbarton was prepared to sacrifice his life if it even gave him one more second to recover, one more percent of chance to win. Gripping his final Kurenai Shiki blade, now Kage's determined to make sure these men… these great men of age didn't die in vain.

"YOU BASTARD!" Roaring angrier than he had ever been, Kage slashed and slashed. Each strike was parried by Goud, but it was so powerful, each block pushed Goud back a step. A fact that the immortal hero of Zaft found a hard time believing.

"I… ImPoSSible! ME, O… OuTbeSTeD by a MoNGreL like yOu?" Suddenly both of his weapons were parried so hard his chest was left open. Kage stabbed the Hakutenkun's chest and swing his sword upward, splitting the man's head in half. Goud quickly regenerates, but Kage cut his waist and split it to two. Goud regenerates again, but Kage bisected him from his shoulder, Goud regenerates, and Kage strike another fatal cut.

"GO AHEAD!" Kage roared. "COME BACK TO LIFE AS MANY TIMES AS YOU WANT! I WILL KILL YOU; AGAIN AND AGAIN UNTIL YOU'RE SICK OF LIVING!"

"DON'T GET AHEAD OF YOURSELF, BRAAAT!" Goud quickly retaliates. By their skills alone, Goud was overwhelming. His form was more refined and perfect. But the fact is, Kage's crude, inefficient and barbaric way of fighting was in fact pushing him back, until eventually he found himself being pressed all the way back to the edge of the rear wall. 'Am I… losing!' "EAAAAAAAAARGH!" In a desperate attack, Goud slammed both of his swords at Kage. Kage responded with a slash of his own. The loud impact sent a shockwave across the room.

Goud stared in disbelief. The unbreakable ice that covered Hyomaen's blade was shattered, while Ensui's thick long blood blade snapped to pieces. Taking the momentary pause of his opponent, Kage let loose one more slash and hit Goud full on his chest, sending him plummeting down to the inlet below.

The Hakutenkun gritted his teeth and quickly batted his arm. The water below him turned to ice and the Hakutenkun crashed violently. Goud gasped and wheezed. 'What the hell happened? That guy became so strong all the sudden…' Suddenly he felt something coming. He looked up and a kunai landed right in front of him, with an explosive tag tied to it. The kanji on the tag glow brightly, and the next second, the tag explodes, taking out the ice panel Goud was standing on.

"WHUAAAA!" Goud quickly jumped away and move to another panel. But Kage suddenly fell right in front of him with a splash, his foot standing on the surface of the water. And worse, he had another one of those explosive kunai ready again. Goud gritted his teeth in anger. "YOU BASTARD!" Kage shot the kunai at him. The kunai explodes, destroying the ice panel. A chase soon ensues. Goud desperately trying to run away while Kage kept shooting the kunais, destroying Goud's footing the moment he landed. Before long, Goud had landed back on the remains of his shattered ship. 'Am I…. actually running for my life here?' A kunai again landed in front of him, with another explosive tag. The tag exploded, but it didn't completely destroyed the platform. It was too big. Amidst the dust of the explosion, Kage spotted a familiar antler horn silhouette, and the Ninja jumped right into it.

"DIE!" Swinging his energy blade fast and hard, but a loud clang stopped his blade. The shockwave from the clash knock all the dust away, revealing the two combatants. Kage get the better look at Goud.

Goud's insane glint was no longer there.

"…you really are something, Kage-kun."

Veia… is back.

With a swing, Veia unleashed that familiar unrelenting strength and throw Kage away with a single stroke. Kage landed on his knee and controlled his breathing again.

000000000000000

After another clash, Raww landed on the wall and, after noticing that both Veia and Kage had returned to their duel, he raised his hands. "Nemesis… it pains me to do this, but I think we should call it quits."

"What? You were so anxious to finish our fight but now…!"

"I have two reasons… one: you're not into it fully. And two… I'm not either… suddenly I found the duel of your protégé is more interesting than any matches we've ever had… I couldn't miss that for the world now could I?"

Mwu looked at Kage and Veia down below. He had to admit, Raww was right. Never before in the history of the Alliance military had anyone ever survived this long against a Hakutenkun.

000000000000000

"To survive until both Hyomaen and Ensui ran out of power is already something unheard of… but to force me get into Goud, overcome his madness and even force him to get me back out is, for the lack of better term, inhumanely amazing."

Kage's anger subsided. Somewhat. "…Does… does this happen often? You and him, switch places. Him going insane, killing everyone for fun?"

"Yes." Veia nodded, deeply regretful. "I watched helplessly… and then I had to relive every heinous horror he had committed by my hand." Veia's voice cracked up. It looks like he was crying behind that helmet. "That's why I want to die, Kage-kun. This… nightmare… my inability to die compounded by my own genius that disallowed me to forget all the things I… 'We'… have done… Death was my only solution."

"Then why don't you just kill yourself!"

"I couldn't!" Veia shrieked. "I… fought… hundreds… thousands of enemies… I throw myself to the brink every time I met a worthy enemy… when that happens, Goud took over and killed him right off! Every warrior I faced, I hoped that I would find the one who can be my salvation… but my hope died… with every one of them! In my disappointment… I killed them!"

"You selfish son of a…"

"Yes. I am a selfish person." Veia nodded. "But I wish to survive. Not physically. Even when my mind was split in half… I wish to stay the way I am… till the very end. Goud and Veia… is one person. Goud is a part of me, as well Veia is a part of me. I wish to die… as that person."

Kage sighed. "Who… is more unfortunate?"

Veia perked up.

"He who lacks? Or he who excess?" Kage readied himself. "Rejoice, Goud Veia. I've finally found a way to kill you."

If he didn't know any better, Veia would've thought the boy was joking. But one look in his eyes, and he realized the boy WASN'T joking. "Then I will answer that challenge… with the true ultimate ougi of the Hyomonken."

"You can still do that Seiryuu No Ekou with your swords at that state?"

"What? Oh heaven's no. Let me tell you something interesting, Kage-kun. The writer of the Hyomonken scroll was… interestingly eccentric. When I mastered the Seiryuu no Ekou, the writer left a note: it is said that Seiryuu no Ekou was NOT the true ougi of Hyomonken. It was just a byproduct of testing the limits of Hyomaen and Ensui's ougi."

"Byproduct?"

"Yes. Venturing into an even more bizarre… the Ougi of the Hyomonken… was supposed to be used… when Hyomaen and Ensui… had run out of juice. Which translates… that the Hyomonken Ultimate Ougi… was to be used with a normal sword." Veia get into a stance… a double battoujutsu stance. "The final secret technique of the Hyomonken: Mikazuchi no Kodomo (Children of the Crescent Moon)."

000000000000000

"Mikazuchi no… Kodomo?" Raww couldn't hide his surprise.

"Even though you're a former Hakutenkun you've never heard of this?"

"No… I've always thought it was that grandiose Seiryuu no Ekou…"

000000000000000

"Mikazuchi no… Kodomo… And you said it's just a… normal super powerful battoujutsu? No more magic tricks, no more ice flakes?"

"No. Hyomaen and Ensui had confirmed it. No more ice. Just sword."

Kage smiled underneath his mask. "…okay." And with that, he suddenly swing the last Energy katana upward. "Gurren Shahadou!" The red energy burst fly harmlessly to the sky. And with it, the last piece of Kurenai Shiki's garment disappeared… and in Kage's hand, a normal physical Katana appeared. It was no longer shining with energy. Sturdy and firm, yet plain as day, a normal powerless Shiki.

"…Why?" Veia gasped.

"With you, I can show respect. We fight, katana to katana." Kage pointed his sword at the enemy before him. "Relax. This still doesn't do anything to my ability to kill you."

"Is that… your assurance? Your true trump card that made you confidently threw away your final attack?"

"No…. I only have a conviction." Kage finished. "There's no such thing as immortal in this world." And then, he assumed a battoujutsu stance as well.

Veia's mouth stand aghast and it slowly turned into a smile. The Hakutenkun ready himself, and pull his swords slowly out of their sheath. Kage watched in awe. The sword were pulled out so gracefully, as if in slow motion, but it left behind after images. It was a sign that the swords were in fact being swung at such a high speed. They appear very slow when in fact they were unbelievably fast.

Kage gulped nervously. Now that he know how to kill Veia, he must first overcome his so called Ultimate Ougi. He doesn't know what Veia's technique will be like, but after seeing Veia's double battoujutsu stance, he can only imagine it's a high speed attack. So he's going to use the only method he knew. At the instant before Veia performed his technique, he will shushin extremely close to Veia and perform a battoujutsu before the technique even started. 'Heh… this is a total suicide move, no matter how you look at it. But it's not like I have any other choice.'

"Are you ready, Kage-kun?"

Kage thought up for a moment. He closed his eyes, and he once again remembered why he do this. When he opened his eyes again… he took a deep breathe…. Exhale… and he was ready. "…let's go."

Veia smiled happily and took a deep breathe. "Hyomonken, Hijutsu Ougi: Mikazuchi no Kodomo!"

And Kage shunshin out of sight a millisecond before Veia finished.

Veia also vanished a moment after.

All this happened in speed beyond what anyone can see.

Both combatants suddenly found themselves face to face in the midst of their high speed maneuvering. Kage gritted his teeth and was about to swing his sword. Instead of dodging, Veia stomped his leg forward into the range of Kage's sword, and all the sudden, in the split microseconds before the clash, Kage felt something awfully wrong. '…the moment I pull out my sword… I will… die…' The next milliseconds, Kage slightly faltered. Veia roared and prepared to enter the critical stage of his attack. Kage's senses suddenly gone numb with fear, but he again remembered his friends, the soldiers who had died to give him time to recover, Harlbarton who now lay dying back in the fortress, and Kage roared in defiance.

A seed suddenly fell and shattered.

Everything suddenly stopped. The snowflakes, the roaring wave below. Kage's eyes… Kira's eyes ever so gently shifted and became dilated. His pupil shrunk to a dot while his purple cornea widened. The image of Veia was clearly reflected on the surface of Kira's eyes. Then, in that reflection, Veia split into three and strike simultaneously from three different directions at incredible super god like speed. The image repeated itself, but someone else is shown. Not Veia, but he perform the same technique, and then another.

As sudden as it appear, Kira's eyes suddenly reverted back to normal, and Kage was no longer afraid.

Veia roared and kicked his stomped leg forward at a super god like speed.

Kage also roared… and stomped his leg forward.

"Hyomonken Ougi! MIKAZUCHI NO KODOMO! (Children of the Crescent Moon)" Veia split into three carbon copies of himself.

As of possessed, Kage also repeat the chant "Hyomonken Ougi! MIKAZUCHI NO KODOMO! (Children of the Crescent Moon)" eerily similar with Veia…. And to everyone's disbelief, Kage too, split into three carbon copies of himself. Each copy was face to face with each of Veia's clone.

'What the hell…' Veia gasped when he saw his opponent do the same technique. But he has no time to remain shocked, and so he performed the attack. One strike from below, the other strike from the sky, another strike across the ground.

To his shock, Kage also perform the technique exactly the same with his – with ONE sword. One strike from below, another strike from the sky, and the other strike across the ground. Three consecutive super godspeed slash from three angle.

All three pairs of attacks collided one another, resulting in an extremely massive shockwave explosion that shattered the ice ground where the collision of the two unstoppable force occurred. The shockwave throw both combatants backwards. Kage was thrown off slightly farther than Veia due to his smaller build. But the shockwave was such, Kage lost his balance and accidentally showed his back to Veia.

Mwu gasped as the two fighters suddenly reappeared just like that and the floor suddenly break apart with their reappearance.

Raww in particular was more surprised than Mwu over the fact that even Veia was pushed back.

Veia was still in shock over the fact a kid had actually managed to copy the ultimate ougi of Hyomonken. 'H…How did he…' he looked at Kage's back. It's a big taboo to show your back to your enemy especially in a high level combat such as this.

Goud knows this.

Suddenly Goud took over, and in a maniacal scream of victory, he lunged forward and raised Hyomaen. "GOT YOU!"

Kage still haven't turned his back.

00000000000000

"Nemesis…"

"Yeah… I know. Goud lost."

00000000000000

Suddenly, Goud felt something pushed him from the back, messing up his form and paralyzing him for a split second. "WHA…"

'The true form of Mikazuchi no Kodomo.'

"VEIA!"

'I forgot… yes… this is the true form of Mikazuchi no Kodomo… the first three strikes, whether they hit their mark or parried will leave behind a massive shockwave that knocks away all the air in the area, creating a massive vacuum field. After a moment, the air will eventually push back in to fill the vacuum, pulling everything, including us… right into it and then…'

That's right. Kage didn't show his back. On his hand, Shiki swing, carrying the momentum from the collision force of the first three strikes, coupled with force from the air pulling them all in together, added with his own strength, and finally his entire weight thrown into it. Kage roared: "MIKAZUCHI NO MAI: MUGETSU HARAE! (New Moon Purification)"

"YA LIT'L BRAAAAAAAT!" Goud roared angrily and in disbelief.

Veia on the other hand smiled. 'Yes. The Moon is the domain of the Dragon God… and the Dragon God… has FOUR sons.'

Before anyone can blink, during the split second in which Goud Veia was paralyzed by the vacuum, the fangs of the Dragon God's fourth son strikes in and sent the Hakutenkun flying. A massive cut appeared on the ground, splitting the ship and even the ocean. Goud screamed in pain as his body was ripped apart by the absurd force of the ougi.

The Hakutenkun landed with a loud crash.

Kage gasped and fell on his knees. His arm felt like they were being torn apart. And all his wounds suddenly burst open again, forcing him to scream in pain and fell at last.

Mwu gasped. "KID!" When Mwu made an attempt to get in there, he felt a sword pointed on his neck.

"No Nemesis." Raww gritted his teeth. "We will not interfere in this."

"Wha… don't get in my way Raww!"

"We cannot interfere. This battle is between Kage and Goud Veia. The interference of Harlbarton against Goud is one thing, but we must not interfere a sacred duel between two true warriors."

Truth be told, Goud Veia was quick to get back to his feet. But his body was disoriented. The damage inflicted by the Mugetsu Harae apparently was not easily fixed. Despite his condition, the Hakutenkun laughed manically. His weapons, Hyomaen and Ensui were left behind in the crater. "YoU… CanNoT KiLL Me! I… Am IMMoRtaL! I will OuTLIVE YoU! I wILL LivE FoREveR!"

Raww frowned at his colleague's worst half's behavior. "How unsightly…"

Kage get back up on his feet and looked at Goud. He smirked and looked at all the water below him. "He who lacks… or he who excess… the answer is staring at me in the face…" And then he performed a jutsu that he knows will seal Goud's fate. "Suiton… Suiryuudan no jutsu! (Water Element, Water Dragon missile)."

The water below suddenly whipped alive and burst out of the ocean like serpents. They flow ever so slowly around the two combatants and then merged together and formed a massive water dragon behind Kage, gazing menacingly at Goud… who for some reason, suddenly became afraid. Kage smiled. "I don't need that much chakra to manipulate pre-existing water. Even in my half dead state I can still do this."

"W… What are you doing?"

"…making you mortal." And with that, Kage jerked his arm forward, and following the master's command, the dragon roared and went straight to Goud Veia.

"No! NOOOOOOOO!" Goud tried to move, but suddenly he found his leg couldn't move. "VEIAAAAAAAAAA!"

The stream of water dragon finally hit him full and went through him. As the water dragon continue to flow through the Hakutenkun which was drowned inside it, water which are not part of Kage's jutsu began pouring out of the chinks and holes in Goud Veia's shattered armor, carried along by the stream of water of the water dragon. And then, the Hakutenkun's flesh began to… shrunk. It was as if the water pouring out of him was Goud Veia's very own life force. The man's stature changed. His arms moved from the notion of shielding himself to outstretching them, a stance of welcoming… embracing whatever's coming to him.

Kage kept his arm outstretched as he can feel the last reserves of his chakra were drained the longer he maintained the stream of the water dragon. At last, when his final strength gave in, he could barely make out a voice… Veia's voice, coming from the armor drowned inside the swirl of the dragon.

"…I knew it… you really are my death."

000000000000000

Epilogue of the Battle of Archangel Bay

000000000000000

As the last of the water dragon disappeared, Goud Veia's armor can be seen standing for but a moment… before it lifelessly fell to the ground.

Kage drop to his knees and felt like he was going to faint. His chakra completely burnt out, his stamina was all but spent. He's the closest he's ever been to death. But then, something compels him to stand up, and get close to hi fallen opponent. Yes. He HAD to make sure.

Slowly and dragging himself up, Kage walked slowly towards the spot where Goud Veia's body lay. Once he reached the spot, all he saw was an oversized armor, with a shrunken person inside it, drenched in a small puddle of water.

"Kage? Is that you?"

Kage jerked when he heard the voice. It was Veia! He's still alive? But he sound so weak…

"Come closer… don't worry… I can barely stand up… and even if Goud took over… I don't think he'll be able to do anything at this point… heck he's too scared of you right now to try anything funny…"

Half believing that voice, Kage approach Veia and looked at the knight eye to eye. Veia looked at him gently, and looked at the many wounds adorning Kage's body. "Don't… move…"

Veia dip his hand to the water and placed it on Kage's shoulder wound. And then, like a cold gentle blanket, the water began to spread across Kage's skin, covering it like a second membrane. And, before Kage's eyes, his wounds began to close at a rapid pace. Not dissimilar with the way Veia kept regenerating himself. When the last bits of Kage's wound were closed, the water harmlessly fell away once their duty is finished.

"Breath of Seiryuu. That was the name of this accursed bloodline. It enables me to convert Seiryuu's sacred element, water into an element of life. With it, I was able to regenerate from numerous wounds… and kept myself immortal for decades…"

Kage looked at Veia. "…how did you end up like this?"

"Oh… it was tale of foolishness… when I was young… I cared little for everything else… all I have… was my faith… my ideals… I struggle… I sacrificed everything… all in the name of protecting the empire… and before I knew it… my wife… claimed by time… I outlived my sons… and their sons died by illness or by sword… all the sudden I had nothing left… not even my ideals… or my faith… and then I ask myself this question… what the Hell have I done with my life all this time? You told me… that you'll kill me… as many times as you have to until I'm sick of living… I've been there years ago."

"You know… I found it hard to believe that you never figured out a way to kill yourself… you could've… I don't know… drenched yourself to death so easily!"

Veia chuckled. "You've already said it… I'm a selfish person… I was afraid… Kage-kun… not of dying… but afraid of becoming what I'm not… I am Veia… and I am Goud. The two of us are a unity. We are who we are because we chose to be… I refused to take the coward's way out… because I wish to survive. Not physically… but stay who I really am… till the very end."

The ninja tucked his head down. How he was supposed to stay angry at this man? A victim of his own faith and ideals.

"Kage-kun… could you… help me? Take… this helmet off."

"But… you'll die… won't you?"

"Death… is certain now. Of that… this… very… very old man… will be eternally grateful. Just once… I'd like to see you… face to face… for real."

Kage nodded. He looked at the Antler helmet and began unlatching it. Slowly he pulled it away from Veia's head, revealing a man. The man's hair was white silver, and slightly messy. His face was young… or at least, it used to be. The way he is right now, Veia looked like a young man who suddenly became old all too fast.

As the last act, Kage removed his mask as well and appearing as he was. "…my name… I never get to tell you… It's Kira. Kira Yamato."

Veia smiled weakly. "Kira… Yamato… thank you." Veia struggled under the weight of his armor. Apparently he's trying to get up.

"Lay still now. Don't move… die in relative peace at least."

"Peace? I've lived most of live in carnage…and I like it. Dying in peace is a luxury." He moved his hand and showed Kira a wakizashi. "You're… a Japanese… an Orb citizen, aren't you? You know what your warriors do… in defeat."

Kira gulped in understanding. Seppuku. "I… I'll help you up…"

Suprisingly, with little to no difficulty, Kira get Veia in a sitting position. He looked around and grabbed Shiki while Veia unsheathe his Wakizashi.

"I've never commit in a seppuku before… but I'll try to make you feel as little pain as possible."

Veia chuckled. "No. I want to die in pain. Listen to me Kage… I will stab myself… and I will feel its pain… and I will feel for as long as I can… until at last when I became numb… that's when I want you to cut me."

"But…"

"Pain is proof of life. Pain is a sensation given to us by God to tell us that there's something wrong with our body. I will die in pain… to prove that I was alive at the end. Promise me Kage."

"…I don't know when you'll start getting numb…"

"I will tell you when."

Kira closed his eyes and reluctantly nod and he lift Shiki up in preparation for the eventual beheading.

Veia smiled. He readied himself and placed the wakizashi over his belly. He took a long deep breath… and then he plunged it to his own belly. The Hakutenkun grunted in pain, just as he wanted. And then, with one more stroke, he slit his stomach open. The hara-kiri is complete.

Kira's hand tensed, but he kept his sword up, awaiting Veia's signal.

Veia closed his eyes, enjoying every second of the joyful pain he felt. "This pain… it… feels… exquisite…"

"…"

"…Kage-kun yo… you've fought… with honor… I respect that… allow me to give you… a parting gift… will you listen… to the last teachings of an old fool?"

Kira looked at the man… another great man of age before him and listened.

"Life is a journey. The life of people like us are filled with peril. One can easily get swept aside. You don't pick up your sword and fight to find a reason to fight… you do it because you already have a reason. But do not fight for your ideals or your beliefs. They can be twisted around in time. And eventually, you'll lose sight of who you are… where you come from… and eventually you will became a different being from when you start off-cough!" Veia choked another dose of blood, but he was smiling as that pleasant pain intensified by the second. "Find someone… someone whom you cares… and someone who cares for you in return. And fight for it. Never let it go. Do you have such person, Kage?"

Kira remembered his friends and nodded. Suddenly he realized tears are swelling up on his eyes.

Veia smiled. "No matter how great of a warrior I am… even when my people called me the immortal hero of Zaft… a fight between a man who had lost everything… against a man who had everything to lose… this result… was obvious…" Veia's hand is getting weaker. From the wound on his belly, his blood, his life, continue to flow out. The pain and the light began to dim in Veia's eyes. Suddenly he remembered one more person. "Kage… I have… one… last… request… Please… look… after… my… student…"

"H…How?" Veia gestured at the two weapons behind him. The Hyomaen and Ensui. Kira nodded. "I understand."

Veia smiled satisfyingly. And then he realized the pain is disappearing. The time has come. With his last ounce of strength, Veia yelled. "KAGE, NOW!"

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAARGGH!" Kira screamed and brought the sword down.

Veia's head rolled over silently. A smile was plastered on his face.

Kira swept the tears from his eyes, sheathed his katana and knelt on the floor, honoring a warrior who died with his honor intact.

Just then, he heard thuds on his back. Kira quickly put back his disguise and turned around to see Mwu and Raww.

"I saw everything. Rest assured, I didn't see your face. I'm not worthy to see it. Veia took that secret to his grave." Raww nodded. "Thank you. You've fulfilled the earnest wish of a very old friend of mine."

Kage didn't respond. He looked at Veia's headless body.

"This battle is clearly your victory… but if I may overstep my boundaries… please… let me take care of his body. He deserved a proper burial worthy of a true hero of Zaft."

"Take everything. Take whatever you wish… but I'm taking these."

And with that Kage disappeared with his loot.

000000000000000

Meanwhile, at the northern cliff…

"Pull back! Pull back!" The soldiers of the Alliance finally gave up and start scrambling back as the Zaft forces finally managed to push through them.

Prayer looked at the retreating soldiers and realized it is no use. They can no longer defend this position. "Pull back! PULL BACK!"

The soldiers of the alliance heard the order and began retreating.

Natarle gnashed her teeth in anger and reluctantly retreated.

"FORWARD! FORWAAAARD!" Yzak roared, leading his army up the slope.

As the soldiers ran for their life, to their shock, Kage suddenly appear before them.

"Kage?"

Prayer and Natarle turned around and were shocked to find Kage standing before them. Weren't he supposed to be fighting on the inlet?

"Soldiers of the Alliance! Stand your ground!" He yelled. And for a moment, the battle on the northern cliff grounded to a halt. The Zaft knights were terrified when they saw the black terror standing before them. In stark contrast, age's presence allayed some of the Alliance soldier's fear.

"Yes! With Kage we can push them back!" Natarle yelled.

But Kage retorted. "No." Natarle looked at the ninja, confused. Kage continued and declared: "This battle… is over."

Everyone was confused. Yzak was even more so.

Prayer dared himself to ask. "What do you mean, Kage-san?"

Kage looked at Prayer and then turned to Yzak, Veia's student. He marched forward, past the confused alliance soldiers and stood before the equally confused Zaft knights.

And then he lifted his loot for everyone to see.

Veia's signature Antler Horn helmet.

Yzak would've recognized that helmet anywhere. He angrily stomped forward and roared. "KAGE! WHAT'S THE MEANING OF THIS?"

Kage calmly responded. "It's exactly what it means. GOUD VEIA IS DEAD!"

Everyone heard.

And they couldn't believe their ears.

"LIES!" Yzak roared. That's just impossible. His master. The immortal hero of Zaft. Dead. He just couldn't see how…

"Ask yourself, Yzak Joule." Kage glared back. "You know your master better than anyone. How can I do something like this without incurring his wrath?"

Yzak fell to his knees, as his mind is trying to come up with some logical explanation. Alas, only absurd thoughts so uncharacteristic of his master came to mind, and they slowly one by one vanished. Yzak despaired as all his mind can come up with is one painful conclusion. Goud Veia… is dead. This conclusion was clearly shown on his face.

The knights of Zaft looked at one another in complete fright. And just like that, they all retreated back to their ships. Some of the soldiers took the still dumbfounded Yzak with them.

As the last of the Zaft knights disappeared to their ships, Kage turned to the still thunderstruck soldiers of the Alliance. He looked at Prayer and called him. The boy was still staring at him in awe. "Prayer… PRAYER!"

"h… yes?" Prayer blinked.

"Veia broke into our base earlier. There are many casualties. Harlbarton's injured. It was pretty bad. You better hurry up."

Prayer jerked when he heard that his captain was wounded. "U… Understood!"

"There's still the troops at the southern cliff to take care of!" Natarle reminded Kage.

"You guys get back to the base and tend to the wounded. I'll go to the southern cliff and gave them the same news. That and with Fuji rampaging in their rear, they'll be out of there before you can say Tanhauser."

In truth most of the Zaft Knights on the southern cliff had already witnessed the retreat of the knights on the Northern cliff and realized the battle was lost (though they still don't know why). And with Fuji threatening their way home, they had little options left.

Dearka was about to fight some more when Raww appear before him.

"Enough, Dearka Elthman… we have lost. Goud Veia… has fallen."

"What? Are you kidding me?"

"Any second now, Kage will appear before us, parading Veia's helmet. I've secured his body, we must depart. Now!"

Just as Raww had predicted, Kage appeared before them all soon after, and showed Veia's helmet as he deliver the news. More powerful than a thousand cannon fire, the news that the immortal hero of Zaft is dead sent the Zaft knights running.

000000000000000

Some time later, Kage finally returned to the medical ward, where, despite their great victory, the mood was as gloomy as ever.

The soldiers looked at him and quietly raised their weapon as a sign of respect. But no cheers. No singing or celebration. Kage knew why.

He looked at the center of the medical ward. Murrue's eyes were red. Natarle was giving her last respects to the body at the center. While Mwu hold his temple, frowning. His friends stood at the corner, looking as miserable as the rest. Prayer, the gloomiest of them all, was holding something in his hands.

Upon noticing him, Mwu motion him to come closer so he too can pay his last respects.

Harlbarton's cold lifeless hand clenched tightly with his sword placed over his chest. His body was no longer bloodied, and most of his injuries were no longer visible. His eyes were closed shut, but he was smiling gently, as if he was sleeping.

Kage bowed his head and could barely able to hold the tears flowing from his eyes. Memories kept pouring in, of the time they spent together. No matter how short it was. He placed his hand over his face and silently let the tears fall.

It was then he felt a hand was placed over his. Kage looked and saw it was Prayer.

"A moment before he set out… he gave me this letter. He told me to make sure… in the event of his death… that this letter must reach you… and everyone."

Kage blinked.

"I… this is Harlbarton's last will." Prayer sniffed and gave the letter to Kage. "You read it. It's for you."

Kage took the letter with trembling hands and began reading it.

"First of all… I'd like to say calm down.

I'm a captain of the 7th fighting division. Dying is an occupational hazard. So… I kinda had this coming."

Harlbarton paused for a moment for a small chuckle.

"Living with the 7th Division is like living with a very huge family. Each and every one of you had their shortcomings; each of you had their virtue. But that's why life is so colorful. If every people is the same, things would be very creepy. Each and everyone of you gather together, putting your skills together and complement one another… I'm like looking at a giant building, with its foundations continuously being replaced and renewed while it expands. We have our problems… our comings and goings. Our sad and happy moments. But the most important thing of all, we have memories."

"I never regretted the fact that 'different and versatility' is the word that define our division. Even if in the end this division is destined to become forevermore a meat shield for other division, I believe this division is rich in something else other division lacks. Memories. The differing people from everywhere joined together in one division. The 7th division. When different people came together, they can start to communicate, different values and principles clashes and complements one another, and from there a bond was formed. And from these bonds memories were made."

"But memories are also fragile. So many things will happen in our lives, sometimes we will forget them. Even when you say you don't want to. Maybe someday you guys will move on and forget about me. That's fine. I've also made many promises to never forget my soldiers, but for the love of me, I never could remember more than 5 names. But the most important things is not if we remember these memories or not. The important thing is that if we let these memories changed us. Making us better person. A better human. Living our lives day by day, with our values and principles shaped by these memories. And so even though you may eventually forget their faces, their voice… heck even if you forget their existence altogether… their memories lies with you still."

At this point, everyone around Kage was crying. Touched by their Captain's last words.

"From this day on, you might want to once in a while look backward, and saw all our memories. All the good ones all the bad ones. Let them be your teacher. Let them guide you on your actions in the now. But do not dwell in it either. Eventually they will come a time when you must stop looking backward and move onward. But these memories will be with you always, as it always accompanied me every time I go to battle."

"So thank you. For making me part of your memories… and for being part of my memories."

Kage finished reading and let his tears flow. Every soldiers were crying. Some gnash their teeth while wallowing in sorrow. Even the cold faced Natarle also had tears dropping from the corner of her eyes.

Kage looked again at the letter and noticed there's a P.S.

"and lastly… for the person that had occupied my most recent memories… if you choose to be… consider this letter a little heads up of what you might face in this Division. But the future of this division is not cast in stone. I will let you decide the future of this Division… if you will it so."

Kage frowned. He looked at Prayer. "Prayer? What's the meaning of this P.S?"

Prayer nodded in understanding. "Before the Captain breathe his last… he said that… if you approve of it… he said to give you this." Prayer handed over the thing he's been holding in his hand.

Kage's heart skipped a beat. It was Harlbarton's ragged Captain's cloak. Wait a minute… does this mean…

"Witnessed by two captains and two lieutenants and over a few hundred members of the division. This is the rule, signed and sealed."

"Prayer… you can't possibly be saying that…"

"This captain's last wish. Also, it is said in the letter that you're free to decline if you wish."

Kage looked at the cloak in his hand. The kanji of Seven embedded on its back seem enlarged. Kage looked at Harlbarton and nodded. 'Thank you… Harlbarton-san.' Kage looked at Prayer and nodded.

Prayer nodded. He turned to the seated officers and began asking.

"Witnesses of 4 seated officers. Will you approve of this appointment and give your blessings?"

"I, Mwu La Flagga, Captain of the 9th Division, hereby approve and give my blessing to this appointment."

"I, Kojiro Murdoch, Lieutenant of the 9th Division, hereby approve and give my blessing to this appointment."

"I, Murrue Ramias, Captain of the 12th Division, hereby approve and give my blessing to this appointment."

"I, Natarle Badgiruel, Lieutenant of the 12th Division, hereby approve and give my blessing to this appointment."

"Any one from the 7th division who are against this appointment, please voice your opinion now, or else please swear fealty to the oath of chain of command."

And none of the 7th division, after seeing Kage's prowess in combat, objects.

Prayer then declared. "So be it. Rise, Kage, Captain of the 7th Fighting Division!"

And Kage adorned the white cloak and looked on.

0000000000000000000

0000000000000000000

0000000000000000000

And that's a wrap. Read and review please.